ElectroniCast Consultants

Market Forecast Studies

ElectroniCast specializes in forecasting technology and global market trends in electronics, fiber optics, light emitting diodes (LEDs), advanced photonics, integrated circuits, microwave/wireless, and network communications. As an independent consultancy they offer multi-client and custom market research studies to the world's leading companies based on comprehensive, in-depth analysis of quantitative and qualitative factors.

Source: http://www.electronicast.com/

Lithium Ion Capacitors: An Effective EDLC Replacement

Background

An accepted energy solution, conventional Electrical Double Layer Capacitors (EDLC) have many notable drawbacks relating to self-discharge characteristics, energy density, reliability, longevity and thermal design. Taiyo Yuden Lithium Ion Capacitors overcome these issues and are an effective replacement for EDLCs. Lithium Ion Capacitors are hybrid capacitors, featuring the best characteristics of both EDLC and Lithium Ion Secondary Batteries (LIB).

EDLCs were first created in Japan in the 1970s and began appearing in various home appliances in the 1990s. Since the 2000s, they have been used in mobile phones and digital cameras. EDLCs are typically used to protect against sudden momentary drops or interruptions in power. They can instantaneously output large amounts of power, while a battery cannot. They are frequently used as backup power sources in servers and storage devices for integrated circuits, processors, memory and more.

While EDLCs are intended to be backup power sources, conventional EDLCs suffer from a phenomenon known as self-discharge, where the capacitor will gradually lose its charge over time. Self-discharge can occur more rapidly during exposure to high temperature environments.

The extremely low self-discharge of a Lithium Ion Capacitor, even in high-heat environments, ensures a long-lasting charge.

Furthermore, Lithium Ion Capacitors have no risk of thermal runaway. No additional thermal design considerations, space or components are necessary when designing with a Lithium Ion Capacitor.

The use of Lithium Ion Capacitors is steadily growing. They are increasingly relied on as supplementary power sources in manufacturing and medical equipment, where even momentary drops in voltage can be critical. They serve to compensate for uneven voltage levels with solar panels and even as primary power sources in small devices. Most significantly, Lithium Ion Capacitors are becoming a preferred backup solution for power interruption in servers and other devices.

Note: 

Taiyo Yuden - Now in its 64th year, Tokyo-based TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD. is a worldwide manufacturer of surface-mount and leaded passive components, Bluetooth modules, CCFT inverters and recordable digital media. With approximately 50% of the worldwide market in high-frequency multilayer chip inductors used in cell phones, the company reports annual sales of nearly US$2.06B. Worldwide, TAIYO YUDEN employs more than twenty thousand people. The company's North American affiliate, TAIYO YUDEN (U.S.A.), INC., operates sales and engineering offices in Chicago, IL, Raleigh, NC, Irving, TX, and in California at San Jose and San Diego.

See the complete article by By Atsuya Sato; Contributed By Digi-Key Electronics

Source Link: http://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2015/jan/lithium-ion-capacitors-an-effective-edlc-replacement

NEW GRAPHENE SUPERCAPACITOR PROTOTYPE

Vancouver, B.C. & Toronto, Ontario – Lomiko Technologies, a 100% owned subsidiary of Lomiko Metals Inc. (“Lomiko”) (TSX-V: LMR, OTC: LMRMF, FSE: DH8B), presented a summary of the Graphene Energy Storage Devices Corp. (GESD) Graphene Supercapacitor Project at the Battery Material Conference hosted by Mines and Money at the St. Andrews Club in Toronto September 26, 2016.

“New smart phones and electric vehicles do not need new batteries. They need high-density energy storage supercapacitors that provide 10 times the energy in the same size package. New device power requirements will quickly outstrip the current battery designs and the materials used in them.” states A. Paul Gill, CEO Lomiko Technologies Inc. “There is a buzz about lithium because people are talking about supplying materials for current designs such as the Lithium-ion battery. Graphene ESD sets out in a different direction. It is focused on making a better energy storage device.”

Figure 1 Graphene ESD Supercapacitor Prototype

 

Supercapacitors are promising energy storage devices. Due to their fast charge-discharge characteristics, low equivalent series resistance, long cycle life, wide operating temperatures, supercapacitors are finding application in transportation, industrial and grid energy storage.

There is rapidly growing demand for capacitive energy storage systems with high power and energy densities. However, individual supercapacitor units have very low stand-off voltage, < 3 V.

In order to increase the operation voltage to a practical level, > 3 V, the EDLCs are connected in series stacks. The EDLCs need to be interconnected and balanced with an electronic circuit, which results in a bulky and expensive energy storage system.

Currently, GESD is working on scale-up of the technology and an in-field evaluation of the energy storage unit with Stony Brook University. The GESD-SBU team demonstrated design and implementation of a sealed high-voltage EDLCs energy storage unit. The unit is internally balanced; there is no need for an external circuit. The electrode is very cost-effective nanocarbon composite either of a commercial carbon or of graphene platelets with carbon nanotubes.

The nano-carbon electrode materials were used for deposition and assembly of a working prototype of an internally balanced high-voltage energy storage unit. The bench-top prototype unit, tested up to 10 V, exhibited good discharge characteristics and charge retention. This development enables new compact energy storage solutions for grid and vehicular applications.

About Graphene ESD

Graphene ESD is developing energy storage based on graphene platelets. High surface area and outstanding electrical conductivity of graphene enable devices with a unique combination of fast charge/discharge and large stored energy. Our device utilizes graphene platelets manufactured from high-quality natural graphite from a low-cost scalable process.  Graphene ESD is 40% owned by Lomiko Technologies Inc., a 100% owned subsidiary of Lomiko Metals (“Lomiko”) (TSX-V: LMR, OTC: LMRMF, FSE: DH8B). e-mail: info@graphene-esd.com

For more information on Lomiko Technologies and Lomiko Metals, review the website at -- www.lomiko.com